Friday, May 12, 2017

Hi I’m Jen Maki with Divine Destinations. I run an award winning travel agency and for the past 9 years I’ve been traveling the world which allows me to share some travel tips with you. Today’s travel tip is, let the experts do what they do best – get you the best value for your vacation dollar!

I once had a bride who was trying to keep her Honeymoon budget to a minimum. So she went online and found a “deal” that included flights out of MSP, no transfers to the resort (which of course means she has to hail a cab in a foreign country) and then a standard ROH room. She asked me if I could price match that. I was happy to do so, as we will gladly price match ANY package you find online plus give you a $50 credit towards your next vacation, however, before I did that, I showed her the package I was able to design for her:

The package I was able to put together included flights from Duluth, a private transfer which included a driver holding a sign with their name on it which made it super easy to find where to go and saved precious vacation time by getting them to the resort faster, once they got to their resort, a complimentary upgrade was waiting for them along with a bottled of chilled champagne in their room. Because they were celebrating their Honeymoon, they also received breakfast in bed with mimosas, a complimentary candlelit dinner on the beach, a hot bubble bath with sparkling wine and rose petals in the room, a couples massage and late check out the day of departure. The price difference between the two packages wasn’t a lot but it did prove to be a big difference in value. Remember, a cheap price isn’t always a good deal.

Your Honeymoon will be your first trip together as Mr/Mrs, so it’s better to leave your special vacation to the experts, after all, this is one trip you will remember the rest of your life. Make it a Divine Destination to remember!

Are you ready to get started planning your picture perfect Honeymoon? Go to our website and click on the “Get Started Now” icon on the top right corner. Then fill out the quick and easy travel questionnaire and then set a time where we can chat more about the Honeymoon you’ve always dreamed of. I make dreams come true. Don’t wait – let’s get started today!

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

So you are lucky in love, eh? Well, join the club! Las Vegas is the wedding capital of the US with over 80 THOUSAND marriage licenses issued annually! I had heard it is the easiest place to wed since there are little restrictions. Unlike marrying abroad, you don't have a waiting period, there are no blood tests and they do ceremonies 24 hours a day 365 days a year! Here you can marry as young as 16, same sex is recognized and this IS a legal marriage recognized around the world! As I traveled to Sin City for a conference geared towards romance travel experts, I decided to walk a mile in the shoes of someone looking to tie the knot in the famous city. It was insanely eye opening to say the least! Allow me to share with you…..

Upon landing in Las Vegas I was welcomed with blazing sunshine and endless options for couples looking to wed. A quick google search gave me a one sheet on “How to Get Married in Las Vegas”. Because it seemed to be as easy as 1-2-3, I decided to see for myself. A short and inexpensive Uber drive to the Marriage License Bureau from the hotel off the strip was about $7. This office is open from 8am - midnight every day of the year to accomodate the demand. Once inside, the TSA looking lines show proof that thousands come here annually but it was fairly quiet for a Monday. Only 2 couples were in line (plus a bun in the oven!) and this proved to be a very fast process with so few people. If you want to ensure a faster process, you can go online, fill out the application and walk down the expressway to marriage bliss.

Today, all lines were expressways! Either line is a lucky double sevens ($77) for your license; cash is preferred but cards are accepted for a 3% fee. Once your license is printed you take this to the officiant and exchange your vows. If you haven’t had the foresight to book a chapel, no worries! There are plenty of people outside the building who are passing out their congratulations and fliers.

After the hardest part is done, taking the first step, the natural second step is to toast yourselves! Just a short Lyft away (don’t bother to hail a cab, they are not willing to make the short trip) you can have a glass of bubbly, order some food or even zip line down Fremont Street hand in hand!

My curiosity is heightened by the ease of holy matrimony here. I mean, what many lament for months over was done in nano seconds in comparison! I proceeded to use my dear friend Google again and search the nearby wedding venues. No surprise, the map was peppered with options that made it look like Vegas had the chicken pox! A quick online reservation form showed me that they were accepting reservations as soon as, well, within the hour!

A short 2 block stroll, I found myself in a trendy area called Container Park. Here I saw a clean assortment of dining, shopping and of course wedding venues. A stark contrast of the ways of Fremont Street I just came from. On the third floor was a chic and trendy boutique called Lucky Little Chapel. It is here where you can wed in your jeans for as little as $99 (and 8 professional photos!) or go all the way and fancy yourself up with traditional wedding attire. Everyone here was super sweet, professional and fun! A minister will lead you through vows or you can say your own. In as little as 10 minutes later (probably less) you can walk out legally bound in a marital institution. Afterall, marriage is an institution, right? The marriage certificate you will receive is just a souvenir but the real deal is available online about 10 days later. In addition, your photographs are delivered via email using dropbox inside of 5 minutes.

In conclusion, I can tell you I truly had no idea how easy (and inexpensive) it is to get hitched in Vegas. Honest. But being the romance expert who does tons of Destination Weddings annually, I figured I should really know more about this! I also learned that you can marry just about anywhere you dream of wearing anything you’d wish! They have endless options, costume shops and ministers who are just as open minded as the couples who request them! I asked a local wedding planner what was the craziest request ever and she said: a couple wanted to wed in a parking ramp at 1:00am on New Year's Eve and the officiant had to dress up as Lady Gaga….wowsers! For those looking to say “I do” on roller coaster, or plunging off the side of a hotel to drive thrus or even at a fast food chain - Vegas does not disappoint!

If you’d like to consider tying the knot in Vegas, I’d love to help you through this journey! Bringing a group? I can ensure your friends and family’s travel is coordinated, they get the best value and your events from the night before to the morning after are all seamlessly coordinated so you can focus on your wedding day! All you have to do is pack your bags! I'll look forward to chatting with you soon!